ULHASNAGAR: The Secular Alliance of India (SAI) Party’s familiar role as a political kingmaker has once again come into sharp focus in the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation elections, with its return to the Shiv Sena fold reshaping the city’s power equations. Having played a decisive role in the last three civic polls, the SAI Party is being closely watched this time as it seeks to once again influence who controls the mayor’s office.Led by former deputy mayor Jeevan Idnani, the SAI Party has fielded 11 candidates, underlining its intent to remain a key player despite the city witnessing a direct contest between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena-led alliance. The party has joined hands with Shiv Sena and Team Omie Kalani (TOK), creating a formidable front against a BJP that is contesting all 78 seats on its own.
Idnani, whose political journey mirrors Ulhasnagar’s shifting alliances, is himself in the fray, along with his wife and former mayor Asha Idnani. His close associate Sunil Gangwani has also been fielded, consolidating the SAI Party’s presence in strategically important wards. Their joint campaigning, including Idnani sharing the stage with deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde at a recent rally, has sent out a clear signal of the alliance’s intent.The SAI Party’s association with Shiv Sena dates back to 2007, when it won 12 corporator seats and, with Sena’s support, secured the mayor’s post. Despite internal splits, the party retained its relevance in 2012 by winning 11 seats and once again sharing power with Sena. In 2017, the party shifted gears, winning 12 seats and aligning with the BJP and TOK. That alliance, however, proved short-lived, and after TOK switched sides, Shiv Sena returned to power.Now, after nearly 12.5 years, the SAI Party’s return to the Sena camp is being seen as a strategic recalibration rather than a mere alliance switch. Political observers say the Sena–TOK–SAI combine has considerably strengthened Sena’s prospects, especially in a fragmented mandate scenario.For the BJP, which is aggressively campaigning to install its own mayor in Ulhasnagar, the SAI Party’s move has complicated the arithmetic. With the kingmaker back in play, the civic polls have turned into a high-stakes power game, where post-poll alignments could prove as crucial as the verdict itself.
